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Dexamethasone regulates obese expression in isolated rat adipocytes
1Department of Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Tokushima, Japan.
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications
|September 25, 1995
Summary
Synthetic glucocorticoids like dexamethasone rapidly increase obese (ob) gene mRNA in rat adipocytes. This regulation of ob gene expression suggests a novel pathway for controlling energy balance.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Molecular Biology
- Metabolism
Background:
- The obese (ob) gene product is crucial for regulating energy balance and is specifically expressed in adipose tissues.
- Understanding the regulation of the ob gene is key to understanding obesity and metabolic disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate whether adipocytes express ob mRNA.
- To determine if synthetic glucocorticoids, such as dexamethasone, regulate ob gene expression in adipose tissue.
Main Methods:
- Isolated rat adipocytes were treated with 100 nM dexamethasone.
- Ob mRNA levels were quantified over time following dexamethasone stimulation.
- The effect of protein synthesis inhibitors (cycloheximide, anisomycin) on dexamethasone-induced ob mRNA increase was assessed.
Main Results:
- Adipocytes were confirmed to express ob mRNA.
- Dexamethasone rapidly induced a 4-8 fold increase in ob mRNA levels within 1 hour, peaking around 7 hours.
- Protein synthesis inhibitors only partially blocked this dexamethasone-stimulated increase in ob mRNA.
Conclusions:
- Adipocytes express the obese (ob) gene.
- Dexamethasone significantly upregulates ob mRNA expression in adipocytes.
- The dexamethasone-induced increase in ob mRNA may not require de novo protein synthesis, suggesting rapid transcriptional or post-transcriptional regulation.